Coupling



April 28, 931- w. E. PHIILLIPS COUPLING Filed Oct. 1, 1928 INVENTQR H I5 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 28, 1931 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER E. PHILLIPS, OF CLEVELAND HEIGHT$, OHIO Application filed October 1, 1928. Serial No. 309,474.

My invention is an improvement in coumember to receive the end of the flexible conplings for conduits. duit. 4

One of the objects of my invention is to I have provided means whereby the end firmly grip a conduit within a coupling withof a flexible conduit may be clamped seout deforming the conduit walls but at the curely within the assembled coupling mem- 55 same time preventing relative movement bebers in such a manner that the bore of the tween the conduit and the coupling members conduit will not be distorted or deformed when assembled. and the conduit will be held against axial Another object of my invention is to conor circumferential movement with respect to 10 struct a simple, inexpensive means for couthe coupling members. The flexible conduit pling conduits, one of which being formed illustrated is preferably of the re-enforced of flexible material, said means retaining type, having one or more spirally arranged the conduits rigidly in coupled relation. metallic'members embedded therein.

Another object of my invention is to pro- The above mentioned means includes a long" the life of flexible conduits at points clamp, of which I have illustrated one em- 65 adjacent a coupling with another conduit, bodiment in Figure 3 of the drawings. The and at which points the flexible conduit is illustrated clamping member consists prefsubjected to almost constant and excessive erably of a split metallic'ringlike structure strains, as when the flexible conduit is con- 11, the walls defining the split converging stantly under strain of angular adjustment. toward the lower edge of the clamp at 13. Other objects and advantages of my in- The clamp is formed of sheet metal having vention will become more apparent from the an 1nherent resiliency which normally exfollowing description of an embodiment pands the ring and separates the walls 12 thereof, reference being made to the accomas shown in Flgure The clamp is provided panying drawings in which like reference with means for grlpping the flexible concharacters are employed to designate like d u1t about. which it is placed, which conparts th h t th same, sists of one or more series of serrations 14 Fi ure 1 is an elevation.partly in section, nn larly arranged and formed in the clamp showing my invention in material by shtting the material at spaced Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figintervals as at 15, and then pressing the maure 1, ter1al adjacent the slits inwardly as at 16. Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view 111 P1118 r, annular 'series of edged serof the clamping ring, and, rations 14: are provided to engage and blte Fi 4 i a i gi fl t th t f Fi 1nto the material of the flexlble conduit upon 8 ure 1 showing the positions of the parts when contraction the (319111113- 5 the coupling members are partly unscrewed. In the drawlngs, I have Shown two Substan- In the drawings which illustrate one tially parallel annular series of serrations, the serrations of one series alternating with bodiment of my invention a male coupling member 1 is provided witll external threads those of the other f It 15 to b under stood that only one series of serrations may 2 and 3. This coupling member may be coul d f d d b f h pled to the end of a pipe '4 by means of the gg fg i g g ig fi 2 3% i; ag f while a female coupling membgr 5 stood tha t my invention contemplates not 45 a f ffi gfig i l gifigg zzgz only the specific form of serrations illuso 1 e m 1' '11 1d th fl l trated but they may take other forms as, for estate: s en; .21. ame. form of cones. the present embodiment the tube is pressed The upper annular wall of the clamp is into the portion 8, one end of the tube X- tapered inwardly as at 18, and is engaged F 'tending'into the enlarged portion of the male by the wall 9 of the male member 1 to close .pling member its lower peripheral edge duit and the coupling members.

the clamp about the flexible conduit when the enforcing elenient embedded in the conduit coupling members are screwed together. walls are pressed into. the recess 9'. An ef- When the clamp is assembled within the coufective seal is thus provided between tpe coni t wil 13 rests in the angular groove 19 formed in be noted that the serrations are struck upthe l wer wall of the member 5, which supwardly, that is, their sharp conduit engagports the clamp and prevents displacement ing edges extend upwardly and inwardly of thereof rom the member 5. It will be noted the clamping ring. In this manner the serthat the wall 20 of the groove forms an angle rations aid in preventin relative axial moveof about 60 with the other wall of the groove, ment between the coupling members and the providing means for guiding the lower edge flexible conduit since the free edge of the 13 of the clamp into the groove and preventconduit is in abutment with the upper inner ing unseating of this edge when the clamp is wall of the male member. As the ring is concontracted. tracted by screwing the coupling members I have provided mean intermediate the together, the annular flat portion 21 of the serrations and the lower edge 13 of the clamp ring also firmly grips the flexible conduit and for gripping the flexible conduit 10 and prefurther assists in preventing relative move-.

venting the walls of the slit near the edge ment between the conduit and the coupling 13 from overlapping. In the embodiment ilmembers. The angularly disposed walls of lustrated this means includes acontinuous anthe annular groove guide or assist the seatnular flat portion 21 pressed inwardly of the ing of the lower peripheral edge 13 of the ring to engage the flexible conduit and firmly clamping ring in the groove and support this grlp the same, when the clamp is contracted, ring in the female member against displace without deforming the walls of the conduit. ment. As the clamp is contracted about the It will be noted that this flat portion conconduit the walls 12 defining the split are pretacts' with the flexible conduit over an envented from overlapping at their lower exlarged area annularly which is sufiicient to tremities because of the re-enforcement of the firmly grip and hold the conduit against relaflat portion 21 and the tendency of the walls I .tive circumferential movement and to supof the groove to retain the edge 13 of the clamp o 14. Although I have illustrated the flat por- I intermediate gripping means may include an each other. As the clamp is contracted or' plement the gripping action of the serrations in its seat.

tion21 as a continuous annular depression, converge toward the edge 13 of the clamp, other forms may be employed and I wish it but as the clamp is contracted by bringing to be understood that my invention contemthe coupling members together, these walls plates such other forms, as for instance, the assume a substantially parallel relation to annular series of closely spaced depressed closed about the conduit 10 the serrations bite flat portions, or I may provide an internal into the conduit material thus permitting a ring secured to the inner wall of the clamp greater contraction of the upper portions of.

between the serrations and the edge 13. the clamp than the lower portion which In use my invention operates as follows: includes the flat portion 21. The flat portion 1 Assuming that the parts illustrated are all does not bite into or deform the conduit madisassembled and it is desired to assemble terial but firmly grips the same and stifi'ens them as shown, the male member 1 is first the lower portion of the clamp, thus limiting screwed uponthe end of the conduit 4. The the degree to which this portion of the clamp free end of, the flexible conduit 10 is then may be contracted when the coupling mem passed through the normally expanded bers are brought together to their limit of clamping ring 11 which is assembled within adjustment. the female member 5 and seated in the groove When it is desired to disassemble the parts, 19. The end of the flexible conduit is passed th female coupling member is unscrewed, over the pressed sleeve 7 as indicated until it d th d it removed f th Sleeve 7 abuts the upper Wall Of the male member 1. acnd male member The female member It will be noted that the walls 12 normally 4 Before the female member is screwed on to the male member, the ring, owing to its inherent resiliency, is normally expanded as shownin Figure 3, but as the couplingmembers are screwed together, the inner wall of the threaded portion 3 of the male member engages and rides down the inclinedwall 18 Q duit material and the jagged edges of the reclaims.

of the clamping ring to contract the same. As the ring is thus contracted or closed about the flexible conduit, the ed es 17 of the serrations 14. bite into the con uit material and securely grip the same andsome of (baconparts without departing from thespiritof' the invention or the scope of the appended at I claim is: 1. In a coupling for conduits, co-operatmg coupling members, a flexible conduit in one 2. In a coupling for conduits, cooperating coupling members, a conduit in one of said members, a tube extending from the other of said members and into the first member to receive thereon the end of said conduit, and a contractible sheet metal clamping ring interposed between the conduit and said first member and having its upper conduit engaging wall inclined toward said conduit,

said ring being seated and retained in a groove formed in one of said coupling members, the walls of the groove converging to prevent collapsing of the portion of the ring seated in the groove, said sheet metal ring having a portion thereof depressed inwardly and out of the plane of the main body portion of the ring to tightly grip said conduit,

when the coupling members are assembled together.

3. In a coupling for conduits, cooperatin coupling members, a conduit in one of'saig members, and a contractible sheet metal clamping ring interposed between the conduit and said first member and having its upper annular wall inclined toward said conduit, said ring being seated and retained in a roove formed in one of said coupling memers, the walls of the groove convergin to prevent displacement of the ring seate in the groove when the coupling members are assembled.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature this 10th day of September, 1928.

WALTER E. PHHJLIPS. 

